Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wants to allow veterinarians to use xylazine in their work.
The drug, sometimes called “tranq,” is a non-opioid sedative that has been found mixed with fentanyl, the deadly opioid that has sparked a surge of overdoses in the U.S. in recent years, leading policymakers to attempt to crack down on the substance.
“Florida farmers and ranchers depend on veterinarians having the tools they need to safely treat livestock,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “By providing an exemption for xylazine for this limited purpose, we are protecting access for legitimate veterinary use while keeping this dangerous substance out of the hands of drug dealers and abusers.”
Veterinarians, especially those who work with horses, cattle and zoo animals, use xylazine to tranquilize and treat them.
Florida classifies xylazine as a Schedule I drug, but there is no federal classification for it, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved it for veterinary use.
A Schedule I drug is a substance that has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, such as heroin. Uthmeier’s action wouldn’t change its scheduling but merely provide an exemption for veterinarians in state law.
“Drug abuse is not a victimless crime. It robs children of parents, hurts our economy, and makes Floridians less free,” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson also said in a statement.
“I support Attorney General Uthmeier’s rule because it targets abuse while protecting the legitimate use, under veterinary care, which is important to our ranchers and farmers in Florida.”
In 2022 and 2023 the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Agency released public warnings about the dangers of xylazine after it was found mixed with fentanyl in 48 out of the 50 states.
DEA officials have said illicit xylazine comes in a powder form from China or in a liquid form diverted from veterinary clinics.
A bipartisan group in Congress has backed legislation to classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The bill would also require makers of the drug to send reports to the DEA to help monitor its use and prevent diversion to the black market. Congress has yet to pass the bill, however.
Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida AG Uthmeier backs xylazine use for veterinary care
Reporting by Gray Rohrer, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
